Can marking and assembling machine



C. W. AND L. J. SANTEE.

CAN MARKING AND ASSEMBLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 23, I919.

1,364,8 1 5.. Patented Jan. 4, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

C. W. AND L. J. SANTEE.

CAN MARKING AND ASSEMBLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.23, 1919.

1 ,364,81 5. Patented Jan. 4, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLARENCE W. SAN TEE AND LEONARD J. SANTEE, OF HYLEBOS, WASHING TON.

CAN MARKING AND ASSEMBLING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 4., 1921.

Application filed September 23, 1919. Serial No. 325,749.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, CLARENCE 1V. SAN- TEE and LEONARD J. SANTEE, citizens of the United States, and residents of Hylebos, county of Pierce, State of \Vashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Can Marking and Assembling Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in can marking devices, and more particularly to machines which are designed for handlin'g cans and like articles for the purpose of marking or stamping characters thereon; the principal object of the invention being to provide means for accomplishing the above results which shall be simple in construction and reliable in operation and possessing considerable capacity for handling cans.

We will herein describe the construction and manner of using an apparatus which embodies our invention and which has the character of construction which we now prefer to use.

Figure 1 shows a side elevation of such an apparatus with parts in section and broken away to better show the interior construction.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig.

Fig. 3 is a side view, on a larger scale, showing in detail the mechanism by which the marks are placed upon the cans.

Fig. 4 is a cross section through the marking apparatus. I

Fig. 5 is a side view of the marking wheels.

The primary feature of our invention is to place upon the heads of cans some distinguishing mark. This distinguishing mark may be one which indicates the character of the contents, the lot thereof, or its grade, the inspector who may have handled v or passed the goods, or in fact, any kind of a marking which may be desirable to place upon the cans.

This device has, at one end, a holder adapted to receive a quantity of cans which have been previously assembled in a box, tray, or other convenient container. Such holder is shown at 1 in Fig. 1, and also in Fig. 2. This is in the nature of a box having a back and bottom, and one end wall. When in use this would normally be in a vertical position, or as shown in Fig. 1, and

by dotted lines in Fig. 2. This holder is secured by means of hinges 10, by one of its lower edges, to a member 11 of a frame, with- 1n which the various parts of our invention are placed. A stop arm,-as12, carriedby the frame, is so positioned as to permit swinging of the holder 1 over to an angle which is convenient for the purpose of placing therein a tray full of cans.

A tray, shown by dotted lines at 13, in Fig. 2, is placed on edge in the holder 1, this being done while the holder is in vertical position. The holder, withthe tray therein, is then swung over into the inclined position shown by full lines'in Fig. 2; in this position it is easy to withdraw the tray, leaving the cans in the holder, as has been shown by the full lines in Fig. 2.

This holder is placed at the upper end of a feed chute 14. The bottom of the holder is placed in an inclined position as is shown in Fig. 1, so that the cans therein will roll by gravity into the chute 14, and be delivered thereby to the marking mechanism. A runway extending from the chute 14 has a curved section 12, and a straight section 2.

The curved section 12 passes about a sector the wheel to be turned, as but little power is required for this purpose. The cans, after passing over a sector of the wheel 3, are delivered to the straight section 2 of the chute.

The can marking mechanism herein illustrated, consists of a roller 4 having thereon type 40, or any other convenient and suitable type of stamping mechanism. The roller 4 where marking with ink is to be used, has associated with it an inking roller 41, these being connected as by gear wheels 42, so as to turn in proper relation with each other. The roller 41 has an ink pad, as 43,.carried thereon in position to engage the type 40 at each revolution. These rollers are so placed that the type 40 will contact with the ends of each can as it passes the same.

One of the rollers, 4 or 41, is secured to a stem 44, which extends downward alongside of the can carrying wheel 3. At its inner end it carries a beveled gear 45, which meshes with a beveled gear 32,carried by the wheel 3. These gears are so proportioned that they present the type to each can in position for suitably marking the same. It is evident that by this means, the heads of the can will be marked with any characters which are placed upon the type 40.

The cans 31, after passing the Wheel 3, enter the straight section 2 of the chute, this section has a series of openings, as 20, in its bottom, of a size to' permit passage of the cans. It also has a series of distributing chutes 21, placed to receive the cans which drop through the openings 20, and to conduct them to the can assembling device, shown at the left hand in Fig. 1.

The above mechanism is mounted upon a suitable frame which at one end is provided with wheels, as 8, by means of which it may be readily moved from place to place. The entire mechanism is of slight weight, so that the end opposite the wheels may be picked up and the whole device wheeled upon Wheels 8, to any point where it is desired to employ it. It is thus possible to take the device to the point where the cans are stacked and thus avoid the necessity of moving the cans to the marking machine.

What we claim as our invention is:

1. A can marking machine comprising a vertically placed rotative Wheel having its edge notched to receive individual cans, a marking device at the side of the said wheel and means for operating the marking device by the rotation of said wheel.

2. A can marking machine comprising a Wheel mounted to turn upon a horizontal axis and having its periphery notched to receive the cans, means for feeding the cans to and from said wheel to turn the wheel by the weight of the cans, and a marking device mounted alongside of and operated by said wheel.

3. A can marking machine comprising a feed hopper adapted to receive the cans, a revolubly mounted wheel having peripheral can-receiving recesses, a chute extending from the hopper about a portion of the periphery of said wheel to hold the cans thereon, a marking device at the side of the wheel adapted to engage the cans in passing, and means for operating said marking device by said wheel.

4. A can marking machine comprising a feed hopper adapted to receive the cans, a revolubly mounted wheel having peripheral can-receiving recesses, a chute extending from the hopper about a portion of the periphery of said wheel to hold the cans thereon, a gear ring mounted concentrically on said wheel, a marking device supported atthe side of the wheel adapted to engage the cans in passing, an actuating shaft for the marking device and a gear wheel on said shaft operating in mesh with said gear ring for turning said shaft from said wheel.

Signed at Tacoma, Washington, this 8th day of September, 1919.

CLARENCE W. SANTEE. LEONARD J. SANTEE. 

